DARK HARBORS is a collection of 26 beautifully written horror stories. Mr. Hopkins has shown great diversity in the subject matter of each story. His writing talent never ceased to amaze me. No two stories are alike, and each one has it’s own power to draw you in and hypnotize you. Although short in length, each story has a way of making you feel like you have just read a full-length book, as Mr. Howard has said so much in so few words. Each time he takes you on an adventure, which leaves you completely in awe. How one man can have such an extensive imagination to be able to write such stories is amazing. But he does, and he did a fantastic job. I could relate to the feelings that the characters had, the ones that got them into the situations that they got into, but the terror that these feelings brought out were beyond description. The father who felt he had nothing now that his wife was gone, and the son who felt overwhelmed with having to care for him. A mother’s love for her lost daughter, a guy who deserves to die, and perhaps does. The guy who hates his grandmother, and the fisherman who is so full of hate, and selfishness. There are more, so many more, and all just as complex and scary. All of these characters have the same flaws, the same pain that most people do, but what happens to them because of these flaws and pain is something you will not want to miss. The only thing that I will warn you of, is do not read this at night, alone. Not if you want to sleep afterwards that is. But do read it. You will not be in the least bit sorry you did. Especially if you are a horror fan, because this is definitely the best collection of horror stories I have ever read. I am not a horror fan, and I loved it. Stephen King has nothing over Howard Hopkins in the horror field. I do know that I will not be visiting Dark Harbors, Maine anytime in the near future. Mr. Howard has already taken me there, through his book, DARK HARBORS, and totally scared me out of my wits. And I loved it. Review by Sue Hartigan